Such devices have been suggested for vehicles with pneumatic springs and are known as taught for example, in German Pat. No. 1,455,101. However, these can be applied economically only in vehicles with already existing compressed air installation for the pneumatic springs, but not in vehicles with mechanical springs. Gases and air in control mechanisms have the disadvantage that pressures and consequently the control settings change with different temperatures resulting from pressure variations.
It is the object of this invention to create an inexpensive, simple and trouble-free installation to reduce the effect of lateral forces during turns and/or uneven loads on persons in a vehicle. This is solved by a mechanical device which influences the lift inclination on the side of the vehicle chassis which is too low, in the sense of a lifting motion, while simultaneously lowering the lift inclination of that side of the vehicle chassis which is too high at the beginning. During onesided or unilateral loads, or under the influence of a lateral force during turns when the road elevation does not match the actual speed, the feeler, via the regulator and the mechanical device, causes one side of the vehicle to rise, while the other side of the vehicle is lowered. The medium height is not altered as the mechanism produces adjusting forces only, not absolute forces.
The mechanical apparatus of the invention consists of a lifting and lowering device, with two coaxially arranged rods rotatable in relation to each other, which are arranged at right angles with the longitudinal vehicle axis at one part of the vehicle (either carriage or chassis), whereby the rod ends facing each other are each provided with an expanding and contracting lever for the engagement of an expanding and contracting device; and lifting and lowering levers are hinged at the rod ends facing away from each other, such levers either representing directional movement devices arranged between carriage and chassis, or communicating with such movement devices, so that when rotating the two rods opposite to each other by contracting the expanding and contracting device, the control impulse sent out by the feeler will set the chassis on an incline in relation to the carriage to facilitate a pleasnt taking of turns, in a way where the resultant of lateral and gravitational forces affects the chassis vertically. Under unilateral load the chassis would be more inclined; in this case the apparatus causes the chassis to be maintained horizontal.
Preferably, the expanding and contracting levers at the zero position of the expanding and contracting device are arranged at an angle of approximately 60.degree.. The lifting and lowering levers are inclined at an angle of approximately 25.degree. from the horizontal when the vehicle is loaded. In both working directions, this angle arrangement causes an even tilt of the chassis in relation to the carriage at a certain degree of expansion.
Further in accordance with the invention, when utilizing springs between carriage and chassis, a device is provided to increase the initial tension of the spring located on that side of the vehicle under a lower load, and provides that the resulting reaction force is directed to the spring already under higher initial tension, so that the chassis is maintained horizontal and vertical, respectively, in relation to the applied lateral force.
Preferably, the coaxially arranged rods are arranged coaxially to rubber sleeve springs (rotary springs) of the vehicle. The rods provided with the lifting and lowering levers are connected with the inner rings of the rubber sleeve springs, and, therefore, rest on one part of the vehicle (either carriage or chassis). The lifting and lowering levers function simultaneously as spring rockers which are also, at the far ends of the coaxially arranged rods, connected with additional rubber sleeve springs resting at the other part of the vehicle. In this manner, the apparatus to reduce the effect of lateral forces during turns is connected to the springs of the vehicle.
The coaxially arranged rods function simultaneously as torsion rod springs. Preferably, they are connected via a plug contact and rotate in relation to each other. The rods consist of tubes and the plug contact consists of a barrel or tubular insert, with a central collar which is inserted between the ends of the rods. If both rods are arranged at the vehicle part in the center or near the center of the vehicle, the plug contact between the rods becomes superfluous.
The expanding and contracting device of the invention is a cylinder-piston unit, where both ends of the cylinder are connected to a pump controlled by the regulator, via pressure lines. The pump merely serves to transmit the fluid under pressure from one cylinder chamber to the other. The expanding and contracting device may also consist of an electromotor with a thread pin, worm gear, or similar arrangement. The zero position of the expanding and contracting device is the median position between expanded and contracted state, so that inclinations of the chassis versus the carriage are possible on both sides.
The end facing away from the rod of one of the expanding and contracting levers is a forked piece, in which is arranged either the cylinder or the electromotor of the expanding and contracting device.
The device disclosed in the invention may be arranged either at the front or at the rear of the vehicle whose chassis is rigid, and thus inclined as a whole unit. If the device is not combined with the springs, it may also be located in the center of the vehicle.